iudgement of Zanchius be any thing worth it must be eyther a grosse ignorance or great malice that stirreth vp many to cry out against Episcopall gouernment as if it were Antichristian It is to be wished that wee had many such wise humble learned and sober minded men among vs for the cause of our trouble is the ignorance of some the pride of others a very few excepted and these are the Parents of needlesse contention And yet more cleare is that other part of Zanchius his testimonie cited by vs before which now followes Quis autem ego sum qui quod tota Ecclesia approbauit improbem Sed neque omnes nostri temporis viri docti improbare ausi sunt quippe qui norunt licuisse haec Ecclesiae ex pietate atque ad optimos fines pro Electorum aedificatione ea omnia fuisse perfecta ordinata fuit praeterea mihi habenda ratio earum etiam Ecclesiarum quae licet Euangelium complexae sunt suos tamen re nomine habent Episcopos Quid quod in Ecclesijs quoque Protestantium non desunt reipsa Episcopi Archiepiscopi quos mutatis bonis Graecis nominibus in male latina vocant Superintendentes generales Superintendentes Sed vbi neque vetera illa bona Graeca neque haec noua male Latina verba obtinent ibi tamen solent esse aliquot primarij penes quos fere tota est authoritas De nominibus ergo fuerint Controuersie verum de rebus conuenit quid de nominibus altercamur Who am I that I should disallow that which the whole Church hath allowed yea neyther dare all the Doctors of this time disallow it knowing that this policie is lawfull in the Church and that for good ends namely the edification of the Elect it was receiued and ordained It behoued mee also to haue respect vnto those Churches which haue imbraced the Gospell with Bishops both in name and office Yea also in the Churches of Protestants there wants not in effect Bishops and Archbishops whom by changing good Greeke names into euill Latine names they call Superintendents and generall Superintendents And euen there where neyther the good auncient Greeke names of Bishop and Archbishop nor the euill Latine names of Superintendents haue place yet is there some principall men who haue the authoritie and chiefe credit of Church-gouernment So that the Controuersie is onely about names but where men agree in the matter why should there be an vnnecessarie strife about words And vnto this same purpose saith Beza Neque tamen huius tyrannidis omnes Archiepiscopos seu Episcopos â—odie vocatos accusamus quae enim fuerit hâ—â—c arrogantia imo cunctos sic hodie appellatos modo sanctorum illorum Episcorum exemplum imitentur tam misere deformatam domum Dei ad amissim ex verbi diuini regula pro viribus instaurent vt Ecclesiae Christianâ— fidos Pastores cur non agnoscamus obseruemus omni reuerentia prosequamur nedum vt quod falsissime impudentissime nobis obijciunt â—uiquam vspiam Ecclesiae sequendum nostrum peculiare exemplum praescribamus imperiti ssimorum illorum similes qui nihil nisi quod ipsiagunt rectum putant Ber. de grad Minist cap. 21. Sect. 2. Wee accuse not all Archbishops and Bishops so called this day of this tyrannie for what arrogancie were this yea those who are so called prouiding they follow the example of former holy Bishops to reforme the deformed house of God according to the rule of Gods word why shall wee not acknowledge and reuerence them as faithfull Pastors of the Christian Church so farre are wee from that which most falsly and without shame is obiected against vs to make our particular example a rule which other Churches are bound to follow which is the fashion of wilfull ignorant men who thinke nothing well done but that which they doe themselues And againe albeit saith hee of old the gouernement of Presbyters was by course Attamen prostasias hic modus paulatim postea visus est ita mutandus vt vnus Presbyterio prâ—estos esset permaneret cap. 23. sect 25. yet this forme of presidence was in such sort changed that one was set ouer the rest as constant and perpetuall Gouernour Ita factum est vt Episcopi nomen ad hunc prestota proprie significandum quidem suorum Compresbyterorum respectu sit translatâ—m cap. 23. Sect. 9. And so it came to passe that the name of a Bishop was translated properly to signifie this president of the Presbyterie not onely in respect of superioritie ouer the people but ouer his Compresbyters also Postremum hunc ordinem vel modum ordinis humanum non simpliciter tamen sed comparate nulla cum Patrum tot Ecclesiarum iniuria appellauero Sect. 10. And this last order or manner of order without any offence of the Fathers or of so many Churches I call humane yet not simply but in comparison Absit autem vt hunc ordinem etsi Apostolica mere diuina dispositione non constitutum tamen vt temere aut superbe inâ—ectum reprehendam Sect. 13. Farre be it from mee rashly or proudly to reproue this order albeit it be not established by Apostolicke or meerely diuine disposition Cuius etiam magnum fuisse vsum quandiu boni sancti Episcopi Ecclesijs praefuerunt quis inficiari possit fruantur igitur illo qui volunt poterunt Sect. 13. And it cannot be denyed that this policie was very profitable vnto the Church so long as good and holy Bishops were Presidents ouer it Let them therefore enioy it who so will and may haue it This is the iudgement of these modest and reuerent Doctors of thereformed Churches who albeit they see not clearely that the Episcopall function is diuine yet they reuerence it as a necessarie and lawfull policie which may make most iustly the malecontents of our time ashamed who haue nothing in their mouthes but that the office of a Bishop is Antichristian that the name is abused when it is giuen to one Pastor and not to all the rest wherein if they will not be reformed by vs I wish at least that laying all preiudice aside they may follow in their iudging and speaking this moderation of these learned and godly Fathers of our Church A short answere to the Tripartite Antipologie of some namelesse Authors AS a little sparkle of fire kindleth a great flame and one waue in the waters causeth many or as the barking of one dogge in a Village wakeneth the rest to barke also excuse mee to vse this comparison for in this as Mr. Dauid his word is the case is alike so Mr. Dauid by his example hath prouoked others his complices to imitate him in his manner of doing For since my comming to Edenbrough for directing away my Dikaiologie to the Presse there was deliuered to mee three sundry Treatises inuectiue coincident for the most part with Mr. Dauid his Parologie and where
into it But since there must be a winde and a firie Chariot to carie Elijah into heauen Since there must be an Angell of Satan to buffet Paul and keepe him from pride Since there must be a fire to purge the sonnes of Leui I meane of affliction which vnto the godly is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Purgatorie fire of Pisida since gold cannot be fined but by Lead which consumes and finishes it selfe in the fining of it let it come by any instrument by you or any other the Lord pleaseth to stirre vp so it bring forward his worke in me I care not THE ADMONENT MOreouer I am sure ye know it is with the oppugning of the Discipline of Scotland the defence of the office of Bishops This is more then any mans fame the fame of the whole Church of Scotland these many yeeres the fame of the best reformed Church in Europe It is yet more a matter touching the Church in lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse in obedience or disobedience to their God to their Prince as you would make men beleeue Also of the estate of the Church in profit flourishing or not flourishing and many such things of great importance of what weight should fame be here And againe If fame be ioyned with the truth and that which is right in the sight of God let that truth and that right haue the sway in our hearts let it appeare in our profession In our pretences in our actions let vs auow it before the Sunne and Moone not because of our fame but because of it selfe we shall haue no losse thereby our fame shall be cleared by clearing of it If our fame be ioyned with errour or what is wrong in the eyes of that diuine Maiestie so that it cannot be borne out but by bearing out of errour let vs not seeke to maintaine our fame by maintaining that errour let vs stoope to him and renounce that foolish fame and count it our honour so to confesse our shame THE ANSVVERE HE that is first in his owne cause saith Saloman is iust then commeth his neighbour and makes enquirie of him You haue heaped vp heere a multitude of words huing a faire shew not vnlike the words of the friends of Iob good enough in themselues but wrongfully applied as will be seene by mine answere Farre be it from mee Mr. Dauid to seeke honour with the dishonour of my good God I will still vse the words of those fortie Martyrs mentioned of Basile Nolo honorem vnde nascetur ignominia Neither will I maintaine my Name by impairing his Truth Nay nay God forbid I should so doe but it is for his truth and for the honour of his name that I contend to maintaine my poore name Since the Lord hath counted mee faithfull and put me in his seruice since he hath called me to be a witnesse of his truth and since he hath blessed my Ministrie to doe good by it will you not suffer me to defend the honestie of it against a lying Libeller that hath sought to dishonour it But I know where you are Satan would haue me a witnesse of no value nor credit because through grace I stand vnder the banner of Christ against him and so would you because I am against you in this question of Church-gouernement you seeke so farre as you may to disgrace the man that his testimonie may be the lesse regarded Here is your policie but it will not be for you I thanke God among men I haue more to stand with me witnesses of the honestie and effcacie of my weake Ministrie then you are able to bring against mee neither am I in doubt but the same also who for the present are with you if it pleased God I were knowne to them as I am to others who haue felt the comfort of my Ministrie would stand vp to iustifie mee against you But to leaue men and come before the Lord Mr. Dauid I dare not speake presumptuously since our Lord in the weakenesse of one haue pointed out the infirmitie of all yet in some measure I may say I haue name and life and all that I haue to giue vnto the Lord for the glory of his name and fealing vp of his truth if his Maiestie require it I trust hee will giue grace to performe it Neither care I what shame befall me so it may serue to hold vp the honour of my God If this inward testimonie of mine owne heart sustained mee not it had beene impossible for me to haue borne the manifold contempts of flesh I haue suffered and this of yours among the rest but to goe from my selfe The discipline of the Church of Scotland is not oppugned by Bishops as you would make the simpler sort beleeue but rather it is stablished and confirmed by them Neither will you euer be able to proue that the discipline of our Church at any time disalloweth the office of Bishops but onely fights against the corruptions thereof as the monuments of our Church search them when you will shall make manifest vnto you And if you be able to make it good that it is a hurt to a family to haue a kindely Father ruling ouer it then may you also proue that it is a harme to the Church to haue an honest Bishop president in it This is for the honour and name of the Church of Scotland which now I maintaine according to truth and set it downe in this assertion The Church of Scotland with the puritie of Doctrine not stained with any blot of Heresie hath also kept a sound and constant forme of gouernement without alteration of any point of Discipline in substance mending onely some circumstances as time required to make them serue for the greater edification of the Church This is the point I promised to cleare vnto you I hope to make it plaine or I end and should haue cleared before now if your Katagoric Pamphlet had not distracted mee This Mr. Dauid is the state of the controuersie This is a truth which neither you nor your Trident Fathers nor your Sorbon Doctors none with you none by West you none by East you none about you will euer be able to impugne And if you or they haue any compassion of this Church if you be her Sonne a Christian borne againe in her bosome if you haue sucked out of her breasts the milke of consolation then I am sure you will feare to impugne it Since as I said it is a truth it is the honour of your Mother who in all times hath kept one constant tenour of Doctrine and Discipline since it procures peace in her bowels since it stops the aduersaries mouth and remoues offences from the weaker ones THE ADMONENT I Am sure you know that this defence of your name is with the touch of many mens fame euen all those who are of a contrarie minde in matter of Discipline but you thinke you care not for that it is lawfull for you
it should seeme that yee striue for nothing but it will not be for you Is not this the confession of the reformed Churches Ad vnitatem fideisufficit si consentiatur de doctrina Euangelij administratione Sacramentorum It is sufficient for the vnitie of Faith that wee agree in the doctrine of the Euangell and ministration of the Sacraments Dare yee say that in these among vs there is any disagreement will you â—eclude them all from the vnitie of Faith who are not partakers of this Discipline What then will you say to Beza Exijs quaem Ecclesia Christi requiruntur vt partibus suis omnibus constet solam doctrinam videri nobis absolute siâ—e omni exceptione necessariam Of those things which are required to make vp a compleate Church perfect in all her parts it seemes to mee that the word onely absolutely and without all exception is necessarie Heare you this Mr. Dauid no word here of Discipline nor externall Church-gouernement as absolutely necessarie to make vp a Church yet you will haue it a matter of faith and againe Ordo est diuinitus praescriptus ordinis ratio arbitraria pro circumstantijs temporum locorum mutari potest quia positiâ—i est iuris Order is prescribed by God the manner or forme of order is arbitrarie and may be changed according to the circumstances of times and places because it is of humane constitution Praised be the Lord againe there is no question of faith no disagreement in anie article of our Creede all the Doctors of the reformed Churches in Europe agree in the vnitie of one and the selfe-same Doctrine of saluation some discrepance indeede in the matter of Discipline some of them standing for Episcopall gouernement and others impugning it but will the one of them for this account the other false Teachers And in our owne Church many that haue different iudgements concerning Church-gouernement doe liue in mutuall loue as brethren the one not esteeming the other Heretiques till you come to make it so if you could but God forbid rather all of them ioyntly haue cause to account you a diuider of brethren a seditious fire-brand in the Church and a disturber of Christian peace if it lay in your power In your other criminations you are still like your selfe you will be as one of those Dogges and Swine that turnes backe to rend them who hath cast vnto you the pearles of the Kingdome of God with horrible imputations of implicite faith inconstancie rashnesse temeritie negligence and sloath in my calling Mr. Dauid humum haec sapiunt non Theagrium imo nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Argiua enim haec insectatio you were wiser to forbeare this language of Ashdod and speake in Canaans tongue and out of the new generation But since you haue cast your selfe loose to speake what you should not Sine iugo statera aut mensura Without a yoake a ballance or a measure which three Ambrose requires in the speech of a moderate man you must euen heare againe that which you would not that these criminations though they be not of such weight yet are they of no lesse falshood then the former And first among all the points of Ditta which you haue here giuen in against mee I meruaile most what you meane to charge me with a Papists implicite faith Would you perswade them that I am become a Proselite of theirs tell me thinke you so your selfe or would you haue others to thinke it At that same time when mine Apologie was published there came forth also a Treatise of mine against Papists in defence of the antiquitie of the Church of Scotland prouing that we receiued not Christian Religion from the Church of Rome might not that serue to cleare me if you were not malitious to speake against cleare light of all Papisticke implicite faith What should haue moued you to this calumnie I know not except that in my young yeares as other modest men of the Ministrie did I imployed my studie to Doctrine and as for Discipline I embraced that which I found for the time not making anie enquirie of it But M. Dauid this will not proue mee guiltie of a Papists implicite faith but rather conuince you of an Apists explicite euill will who had rather giuevantage to an enemie or the Idoll of your conceit be not honoured in all points suppose to the disgrace of a friend But the string you harpe most vpon is my inconstancie euerie where throughout this Pamphlet you obiect a change to mee and as you call it an absurd change and heere you haue collected manie things together of my speeches Sermons subscriptions most part of them false as will be shewed when wee come to them but I pray you to what purpose bring you probations of that whereof in mine Apologie I haue made a plaine confession because say you I haue not beene cleare in that point to declare from what and vnto what I had changed but Mr. Dauid I supposed I had spoken more clearelie then you desired me and if yet you wil haue it more plainelie explained to you here it is In my younger yeares I misliked Episcopall gouernement not hauing studied the question of Church-gouernement Now after better consideration of it I approue it as best for the Church and hauing the best warrants of all other gouernement You haue cried for a Palinodie aduise how this will please you for I haue none other to giue you This is it which Mr. Dauid will haue inconstancie but if you can improue the iudgement which I haue embraced then I must say my change is euill yea worse then inconstancie but if you cannot for you plainely decline that point and I am sure you are not at anie time able to doe it then you should remember what I told you in mine Apologie Quod mentem in melius mutare non leuitas sit sed virtus But let vs consider of this change Vniformis est Christianorum vita vnicum habens scopum gloriam Dei Since mine heart is the same and the marke whereat I aime to wit the glorie of God and good of his Church remaines the same if I haue changed the meanes and made choise of that which is more effectuall for my proposed end what blame is this May not a wise man change his course and continue his purpose may he not alter the meanes for the better furtherance of his intention If you can blame a Marriner for changing his saile to take vantage of the winde or call him for that inconstant he being still constant in his purpose and course toward his intended harborie then may you blame mee also this is the truth vvherein mine owne heart allowes me condemne you it as you please But you blame me that I should be ignorant of any point of my calling and not learned all at the first and cannot abide to heare
Church and cut off for corruption I know you meane out of our Church and that by act of Assembly It might serue you for an answere that the first Ecclesiastique gouernment which our Church euer allowed by act of generall assembly was Episcopall gouernment as shall be cleared by Gods grace The last Ecclesiastique gouernment approued by act of our generall Assemblie is Episcopall gouernment also neyther shall you finde in the meane time betweene these two any Act of Assembly disallowing the office of Bishops but onely the corruptions thereof and being forced for remouing the corruption to suspend the office for a time they neuer simply reiected it but by plaine act left a power of reuocation thereof to their Successors to bring it in againe when they should see the good of the Church required it The probation of this followeth hereafter This is it which according to your minde you call a cutting off for corruption but our Fathers were neuer so inconsiderate as you haue affirmed Mr. Dauid it is no good Chirurgie to cut off the hand for corruption where the corruption may be cured and the hand preserued it may be vnable for the present and yet able afterward to doe good Cut not away an Office from the Church for corruption thereof but cut away the corruption and conserue the Office that it may doe good againe So hath our Fathers done like wise Phisitians but you in your furie will cut all away and make the simple beleeue that our Church had done it So vndutifull are you that you spare not without all respect of reuerence to rip vp againe the bowels of your Mother that you may lay open her nakednesse to the opprobrie of the aduersarie and where you can finde none you faine lyes Your last Interrogatorie is to the same purpose THE ADMONENT SHould wee receiue the plaine aspiring Tyrant and enemie knowne and proued so in the middest of the Citie place him in the Citadell giue him the Keyes in custodie giue him all credit to open and shut the Ports let in and thrust out at his pleasure giue him a command of the watch the Centinels to command controll that they mute not stirre not doe what hee list yea euen binde vp all the Dogs and mussell their mouthes that they bite not barke not but at his pleasure No light matter c. THE ANSVVERE SHall there be none end of the words of winde What haue wee here the same tale tolde ouer in new words hee still cals Episcopall authoritie a Tyrannie an Enemie knowns proued so but hee proues nothing The Bishop of Rome became a tyrant shall the fault of one be a sufficient reason to impute tyrannie to all Did all the remanent famous Churches and Orthodoxe Bishops in Christendome reiect the paternall gubernation of Bishops because the Bishop of Rome had turned his into tyrannie Mr. Dauid would haue it but be not so inconsiderate as to hold your Father at the doore for feare of a tyrant The rest of your words are more specious then substantious there needes no more to improue you but to turne them backe vpon your selfe Is it not meeter that some one man hauing Commission from the Gouernour and Counsellors of the Citie should haue the Keyes of the Ports then that euery one in thâ— Citie should haue libertie to open and shut let out and in at their pleasure Is it not meeter that some haue power to checke the Watch and command them then that they should haue libertie to slumber and sleepe at their pleasure not fearing the controulement of any Is it not meeter that Dogges that is vndiscreet and contentious men should be kept vnder commandement then that they shall haue libertie to barke and bite at their pleasure euery one that commeth in their way What shall a man euen of common wit say but that your words faire in shew fectlesse in purpose make against your selfe when they are well considered In the end of this section you haue another question proposed the answere whereof wil giue you light for resolution of the maine controuersie wee haue in hand and till then I leaue it And now you proceede to improbation of my sixt reason which was this That other reformed Churches in Europe wanting Episcopall gouernement would be glad to accept it vpon condition that with it they might enioy the puritie of Gospell which they haue with vs together with that libertie fauour and protection of a Christian King professing the Gospell truly which we haue and they want This you impugne after this manner THE ADMONENT I Verily thinke this is but a bad reason why a man should change his minde in so great a matter and for my part I easily thinke that assertion is as easily denied as auowed and I haue more for me to denie it then you haue to auow it as I beleeue their owne profession and declaration of their mindes against Bishops But what doe you meane by that word Condition haue we that puritie libertie and Christian King by Condition I hope we haue them simply and purely without condition c. THE ANSVVERE MY reason is better then you consider If we had liued among the Christians of the Church primitiue sore persecuted three hundreth yeeres for Religion by Emperours who should haue protected them or if we had liued in the Church of Fraunce our necks daily vnder the sword of the enemie and then it had pleased God to turne the heart of the Emperour and King not onely to protect vs but to professe the Gospell with vs we would haue been loath to haue discorded with them for such a matter You ponder not this benefit but waxe insolent and thinke it nothing to entertaine a diuision betweene a Church and a Christian King for a matter without which true faith in Christ in all the articles thereof may be retained In my iudgement the Church of France or antient Churches sore bitten with affliction would neuer haue discorded vvith their Christian Rulers in such a cause You alleadge you haue a declaration of their minde in the contrarie but you must remember priuate letters are not sufficient to proue the minde of a Church You are offended at this word vpon condition you demand Haue we puritie libertie and a Christian King on condition What needes you peruert my words I am sure it can be no ignorance onely malice caries you to this cauilling know you not that his Maiestie will not be drawne into your opinion of Church-gouernement you speake as if the King were of your minde or at least would make the simple beleeue so or that I had ouer-seene my selfe so farre as to say that wee had a King by condition You know his Maiestie will not be drawne that way for you it were more agreeable to reason you should quit your conceit and goe after your Soueraigne Lord but if still you will stand in contradictorie termes yet blow vs not all so blinde as to make
Dauid deales not truely nor faithfully nor like a man defending a good cause but fore-seeing that these words would destroy his Assertion of purpose he leaues them out His second Reason is without reason and against the very rules of reasoning This is Petitio principij he begs the question and takes it for a principle which is the Controuersie it selfe as shall appeare in our improbation I will not be presumptuous to dispute that which is concluded alreadie and past in a Law Onely to cleare the proceedings of our Church from the wrongfull imputations of malecontents I giue an Answere to all their Obiections in these Positions following 1 Episcopall gouernment in it selfe is lawfull and of all other hath best warrants in the Word Mr. Dauid hath declined this question yet will I giue to him and others such light in it as God hath giuen mee 2 No Church since the dayes of Christ vnto our Fathers dayes was without Episcopall Gouernment and Mr. Dauid cannot shew one instance to the contrarie for howsoeuer in some reformed Churches Superintendents were placed the name being onely changed the matter remained 3 The Church of Scotland in her purest estate enioyed the Gospell with Episcopall gouernment for the space of twentie yeeres as may be proued out of the Monuments of our Church for there you will finde by Acts of generall Assemblie Ministers ordained to be subiect to Superintendents A Law craued from the Lords of secret Counsell for punishment of such as disobeyed Superintendents Power to hold Assemblies twice in the yeere giuen to Superintendents Power to transport Ministers giuen to Superintendents Power of diuorcements taken from Ministers and giuen to Superintendents Power to admit â—inisters and depose them giuen to Superintendents No religious Bookes to be printed but by adâ—ise of Superintendents This was the order of our Church all the dayes of Iohn Knox c. Here you obiect first that the offices of Bishops and Superintendents are not one and why I am sure you know in power of signification they are one in power of Iurisdiction they are declared to be one by Act of generall Assemblie Anno 1573. what power a Superintendent had by the law of our Church that same power a Bishop had by the same Law And those Countries which had Bishops of the reformed Religion president ouer them were neuer committed to the care of Superintendents but the Bishops exercised all points of Iurisdiction partaining to them vvithout any contradiction made to them by our Assemblies To â—ay yet further there was appointed by the generall Assemblie some Commissioners to be assembled with other Commissioners appointed by the Regent and Lords of Councell to entreat of Ecclesiastique Iurisdiction establish it Commissioners for the church beside sundrie Superintendents were Mr. Iohn Knox M. Iohn Craig M. Iohn Row M. Dauid Lindsay with others that were in the yeere 1564. The same Commission renued againe by the Church Anno 1567. and againe 1568. a Supplication from the Asâ—emblie to the Regent M. Iohn Willok Superintendent of the West being then Moderator was directed desiring that such as were appointed by the Lords of his Highnesse Councell and by the Church might meet for setling church-Iurisdiction After this in euery assemblie the same sute is renued till at length An. 1571. the gouerâ—ment of Bishops is ratified by act of assemâ—lie Thus M. Dauid you see Bishops willingly recâ—iued into our Church Your other Obiection is Superintendents had their Office from the Church did their Office by aduise of their Brethren and were countable to the Church for it Tell me I pray you what else see you in Bishops Their Office and power is from the Church their temporall preferment their rent and maintenance is conferred by the King yea good reason it is that his Maiestie haue the nomination of a Bishop out of lytes of honest men giuen in by the Church What nouation is here You will finde the nomination of Superintendents referred to his Highnes Counsell in his Maiesties minoritie becausâ— they gaue them their maintenance see Act of Assemblie An. 1562. Againe Superintendents did by aduise good reason see the Law prescribed to Bishops of olde An. 1573. that no Bishop admit any Minister without aduâ—se of three well qualified Ministers of the bounds The same stands now and can you say that any Bishop in our Church stands against this except onely that where the Law bindes them to vse the aduise of three they vse the aduise of sixe or tenne or thirteene if they may get them What can you say against this Mr. Dauid See you not here a constant forme of gouernment in our Church See you any other Bishops now then were in the dayes of Iohn Knox Here say you Superintendents were changeable but you should haue cleared your selfe not deceiued the simple people vnder ambiguitie of words Tell the truth were any of them changed in their time or was there any cause might haue taken from them the office of a Superintendent but such as might haue also depriued of the Office of Preaching and all other offices in the Church In which case Superintendents Bishops and Pastors both might and should lawfully be deposed but God be praised such examples feil not out in our Church Oh but Superintendents were subiect to their Brethren Here also you luâ—ke vnder the shadow of doubtfull speeches Will you say that Superintendents were subiect to the censure of Ministers ouer whom they had the inspection The contrarie is true our Fathers foresaw the perill of that and exempted them from it reseruing them to be iudged by the generall Assemblie as I haue cleared before and doubtlesse there could be no order where such as should correct the faults of others are put vnder the censure of thosâ— that should be corrected by them You still reply there is now say you no generall Assemblie to censure them but you may know that the same Law which restoreth the Iurisdiction of Bishops ratifieth also generall Assemblies howbeit in a reformed State the power to call it belongs to the Christian Magistrate and seeing it is the Parliament of the Church the great Ecclesiastique Councell of the Church the calling of it except vpon very vrgent occasions proueth often more hurtfull then helpfull but where great and weightie causes require it you may be sure the Prince will not refuse it But your great grudge is here that Bishops are not vnder the power of Ministers to be cast out of their places by pluralitie of voices You dreame of an assemblie that would finde the authoritie vnlawfull and depose them all but you are deceiued our Ministrie are not so affected they see the necessitie and vtilitie of this calling they who disliked it at the first are now brought by reason and experience to allow it and where you will finde one discontented with it I warrant you tweâ—tie who are pleased with it and thanke Goâ— for it Speake no more
then of the exemption of Bishops from censure there is a Christian King there is a Councell of Bishops till necessitie require a Nationall Assembly and it is not denyed to any in the Church or Kingdome to complaine accuse delate Bishop or Archbishop that hee may be brought to his answere and tryed yea some that haue complained haue beene answered with Iustice to their satisfaction In a word let it be told you in name of all the Bishops of our Church our Calling is of God allowed by the generall Assemblie ratified by our most Christian King and States of the Kingdome Our care is to discharge it in the best sort wee can when wee haue done all that is possible for vs there are many of you ready so farre as you may to vndoe it out of an euill humor more narrowly looking to negligences then to obserue paines and good diligence wee are men and may fall as others but our faults should not be abused to condemne our function more then the faults of Ministers condemne their Ministrie We claime no liberty but are readie by Gods grace to answere all our Superiours and be censured by them as the meanest in the Church And we carrie this humble minde that if you or any other in loue and good affection will signifie to vs wherein wee offend wee will either satisfie you by reason or willingly amend it yet so that wee will maintaine the honour of our charge and calling and not leaue it free for euery man to raile against lawfull authorities whereof I pray you consider in time and be more sparing to spread such inuectiue Libels for it will be thought a contempt of them whom you are bound to honour and if you suffer punishment for it you will not suffer as a Martyr but as a malefactor which I wish may no befall you 4 So long as this Episcopall gouernement stood in vigour there was nothing but comely order in our Church Fathers honoured as Fathers Ministers agreeing in pleasant Vnitie without any Schiâ—me among them singular peace betweene the King his Maiestie and the Church tâ—ey going together like Moses and Aaron to doe the worke of God without grudging anger or diuision then the Gospell flourished and no professed Papist was in the land but with decay of the one ensewed a lamentable change of the other which cannot be mentioned without griefe and I wish for euer may be buried in silence Alway at this doore of vnhappie diuision Papistrie creeped in againe into our Church it was sowen then it tooke roote then it buddeth now and by a false kinde of reasoning A non causa pro causa it is imputed to Bishops now but as with the decrease of Episcopall gouernment it entred so I hope in God with the credit and authorâ—tie thereof it shall goe to the doore againe Onely the Lord cloath his seruants with his righteousnesse and saluation let his Vrim and Thummim be with his holy ones The Lord set our hearts rightly to seeke his glorie then shall his helping hand be with vs. There is no fault in the cause God graunt it be not found in our persons 5 Episcopall gouernement beganne first to be withstood An. 1575. This is the first time that Commissioners for eschewing of alleadged ambition are appointed to be changed yeerely The same time authoritie of Bishops is called in question some with it some against it the matter is referred to the aduisement of three for euerie opinion whose names are inserted in the act they resolue on these conclusions It is not thought expedient the question be answered at this time but if any Bishop be chosen who hath not such qualities as Gods word requires let him be tried by the generall assembly and so deposed 2. That the name of a Bishop is common to all Preachers whose chiefe function is to preach the Word minister the Sacraments and execute Discipline Yet of this number some may be chosen to ouer-see and visite other bounds beside his owne Flocke with power to ordaine and depose Ministers with aduise of the brethren of the bounds Perceiue here how loath wise men in our Church were to quit all grip of Episcopall gouernement 6 And againe the Office it selfe comming in contempt for the euill qualities of them that had it whereof some were professed enemies of Religion it was laid by and suspended An. 1580. But not simply abrogate as will appeare by this three-fold consideration First not the Office but corruption of the Office in Bishops is impugned so beareth act An. 1578. For as much as there is great corruption in the estate of Bishops as they are presently made in this Realme where-vnto the Church would prouide remedie in time comming therefore further admission of Bishops is discharged till the next assembly An argument by the way to Mr. Dauid that they were before in the Church and had their ordinarie admission of the Church Then in the next assembly holden that same yeere Iune 11. Sect. 3. It is concluded that the former act shall be extended for all time to come aye and while the corruption of the estate of Bishops be remoued and that all Bishops alreadie elected be enquired particularly to submit themselues to the generall assembly concerning the reformation of the corruption of that estate of Bishops Nothing here you see against the Office but against the corruptions Secondly albâ—it anno 1580. Episcopall gouernement was disallowed yet that it was not done with full consent or approbation of the Fathers of our Church will appeare by that act of reuocation which if a man will consider hee shall finde procured by the wisedome and fore-sight of some wise and honest men of the Ministrie who contenting to submit themselues to the present gouernement and loath to trouble the Church for that matter with Schismes and diuisions which you and yours cannot doe did notwithstanding leaue an open doore to their posteritie to bring in againe Episcopall gouernement when they should see it expedient for the Church See the act An. 1583. Sessâ— Concerning thâ— question moued to the assembly if the generall Church haue power to prouoke whatsoeuer things done by them or any particular member of the same to the hurt and preiudice of the Church or not The brethren after reasoning and disputing at length voted affirmatiue in the question that the Church had power to doe the same No exception here of any act made either for Bishops or against them Thirdly the abdication of Episcopall gouernement which was made was made without consent yea contrarie the will of them by whom it was concluded in the Church for Episcopall gouernement being practised in our Church from the beginning was established by act of assembly An. 1571. Whereat vvere present Commissioners from the Regents grace and Lords of secret Counsell in his Highnesse name being also required specially and to this same purpose by the Church there it was agreed to stand during the Kings minoritie and
no reasonable man will denie the Assumption will be this But Episcopall gouernement is such Embraced of the Catholike Church not instituted first by any Councel for it was before the first Oâ—cumenick Councell of Nice retained by all Councels not reiected nor impugned by any and this assumption is verefied by consent and testimonie of the Church in all ages which the learned Fathers of our time Zanchius and Beza plainely confesse the words of Zanchius here follow Fides autem mea nititur cum primis simpliciter verbo Dei deinde nonnihil etiam communi totius veteris Ecclesiae consensu si ille cum sacris literis non pugnet Credo enim quae a pijs patribus in nomâ—â—â— Dominâ— congregatis communi omnium consensu citra vllam sacrarum literarum contradictionem definita recepta fuerunt ea etiam quanquâ—m hand eiusdem cum sacris literis authoritatis a Spiritu Sancto esse Hinâ— fit vt quae sunt etusmodi ego ea improbare nec velâ—m nec audeâ—m bona conscientia Quid autem certius ex Historijs ex Conâ—lijs ex omnium patrum scriptis quam illos ministroruÌ„ ordines de quibus diximâ—s communi totius republicae Christianae consensu in Ecclesia constitutos receptosque fuisse Quis autem ego sum qui quod tota Ecclesia approbâ—uit improbâ—m My faith leanes first of all and simply vpon the word of God thereafter also it something depends vpon the common consent of the whole ancient Church where it is not repugnant to the holy Scripture For I beleeue those things which by godly Fathers assembled in the name of the Lord haue beene concluded decreed and receiued not contradictorie vnto holy Scripture and that those same things also albeit they be not of equall authoritie with the holy Scripture haue proceeded from the holy Spirit whereof it comes to passe that I neither will nor dare in a good conscience contradict them For what is more certaine out of Histories Councels and the writings of all Fathers then that these orders of the Ministrie whereof we haue spoken were by common consent of all Christendome concluded and receiued into the Church And who am I that I should dâ—sallow that which the whole Church hath allowed Zanch. in his confession To this same purpose serues the testimonie of Beza who hauing declared the reasons that moued the auncient Church to elect one of the Presbâ—terie who in place and dignitie should be aboue the rest and to whom the name of a Bishop in speciall manner should be giuen by the remanent hee subioynes as followes Neque enim quicquam est quod in hac Prostasia reprehendi potest aut debet for there is nothing in this presidencie or supereminence of one Pastor aboue the rest which either can or ought to be reproued And the reason he giues for it is worthy marking Quum praesertim vetustus hic mos primum Presbyterum deligendi in Alexandrina celeberrima Ecclesiaiam inde a Marco Euangelista esset obseruatus Especially saith hee seeing this ancient custome to choose out the first of the Presbyters to gouerne the rest hath beene obserued in the famous Church of Alexandria euer since the dayes of S. Marke the Euangelist Now it may be collected that S. Marke died in the eight yeere of the Emperour Nero the holy Apostles Peter Paul and Iohn being yet aliue whereof it followes that this policie hath had the Apostles eyther authors or approuers of it and so will fall to be of diuine authoritie Now then the proposition being manifest in it selfe and by the testimony of Tertullian and Ambrose confirmed The assumption also cleare and confessed by the testimonie of Zanchius and Beza that one Pastor was in place and dignity aboue the rest called by the name of a Bishop in a speciall sense proper to him not common to the rest the conclusion followes sure that this policie may and should be receiued as descended from authoritie But now we come to speake of them who albeit they thinke not that Episcopall gouernement is diuine yet they reuerence it as a necessary and profitable policie for the Church That Episcopall gouernement is a good and profitable policie for the Church in the iudgement of most learned and modest Doctors in our time AND as concerning these worthy Diuines of our time who thinkes not Episcopall gouernement to be of diuine authoritie yet they reuerence it as a godly and most necessary policie and all of them condemnes you that nourishes a Schisme for it I cannot now attaine to them as I would being absent from my Bookes but you shall haue some notable testimonies to this purpose Zanchius hauing set downe Ieroms iudgement concerning it subâ—oynes as here followes Non damnat Hieronimus consuetudinem hanc vtpote vtilem ferme necessariam vt fit ordo in Ecclesia Adde quod non prohibetur verbo Dei si igitur liberum est Ecclesiae possunt ex totâ— Presbyterorum Collegio Presbyterum vnum eligere qui peculiarem Ecclesiae curam â—uscipiat in Conâ—istorio â—it seâ— Consul in Senatu politico at que vt ab alijs decernatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocars potest Episcopus vel Superintendens vel Inspector vel alio quoâ—â—s nomine Episcopus Certe Ecclesiae vnitas scindi non debet propter huius cemodi titulorum aut nominum differentias Zanchius epist. ad Philip. cap. 1. Ierome condemnes not this confuetude of the power and preferment of a Bishop before a Pastor as being profitable and almost necessary for conseruation of order in the Church Besides that it is not forbidden in the word of God Seeing therefore it is free the Churches may chuse out one of the Colledge of Presbyters to haue the peculiar care of the Church and who may be in the Consistorie of Presbyters as a Consull in the politique Senate and to the end he may be distinguished from others he may in more excellent manner then the rest be called Bishop Superintendent or Inspector or by any other such name Certainely the vnitie of the Church should not be rent for any such titles or differences of names See you not here that in the iudgement of this worthy Doctor Episcopall gouernment is not forbidden in the Word and so is not against any point of Faith as you affirme See you not that the name of a Bishop is not abused when it is giuen to one and not vnto the rest And thirdly doth hee not condemne you that â—end the vnitie of our Church for such a matter Iunius in like manner O 〈◊〉 haec vt iuris humani atque 〈◊〉 si ita placet ecclesiastici concedimus fuisse iâ—m olim absâ—ruâ—ta nec dâ—mnamus ea simpliciter si non abusus accessâ—â—it Wee confesse that all these haue beene of a long time obserued in the Church as being of humane authoritie or if you please Ecclesiastique neyther condemne wee them simplie if they be not abused
they differ from him a particular answere is here returned vnto them The Authors of them I know not their names are suppressed the first and the third goe together and seemes to be some Preachers of Fyffe they reckon out some sundry indwellers of Fyffe to proue a certain alleagance concerning the late Bishop of S. Andrewes their intelligence also with Perth bordering with that Prouince from which reports of my Sermons are so easily carried vnto them insinuates also the same but for their persons be what they will the matter is all one Great brags were made be Mr. Dauid of many answeres and many Inquisitors that were to search mine Apologie before they came some great thing was expected but no such thing is found doubtlesse they haue manifested the weakenesse of their cause that so many labouring about one thing haue not brought among them all so much as one argument to defend it An Answere to the first THE first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he is vnacquainted with mee onely hath heard mee teach oftentimes and beene as sundry others were comforted thereby for which hee thankes God for truely the glorie of that good which God worketh by the ministrie of his weak Seruants belongs vnto himselfe for wee are not able of our selues so much as to thinke a good thought And to the end that such as haue gotten good by my Ministrie may be further confirmed I thought it my dutie after I had considered the matter of Church-gouernement rightly to informe them that there is no cause why our Church should thus be diuided for it And I may and now doe with a good warrant of the word and mine owne conscience say to it I should not I will not I dare not be an author nor maintainer of diuision in our Church for it If any will let them doe it vpon their owne perill wherein I will be loath to communicate with them In your third Sect. you mislike the boldnes of others that vsurpe the Iudicatorie of other mens consciences I wish the like moderation had beene vsed of the rest of your Complices This onely you say that albeit God be onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the heart yet men may iudge of other men by their fruits whereunto I willingly agree for it is the rule of our Sauiour By their fruits you shall know them If a man condemne the life of another let him disproue it by his euill deedes or if hee will impugne the opinion let him doe it by strength of reason but to vsurpe the Iudicatorie of an other mans conscience is it not intollerable presumption yet commonly practised by your Complices for whom it were good they remembred Nazianzen his warning Multa versanda sunt animo priusquam aliâ—m iraepiet atis condemnes Sect. 8. You graunt that from the beginning of reformation till the yeere 1575. Our Church contented themselues with Bishops and Superintendents why then is it counted so odious a thing that Bishops should be in it now You affirme also that I can bring no warrant for Episcopall gouernment neyther from Gods word nor practise of the primitiue Church for the first three hundred yeeres The Answere you will finde in my Reply to the last Opponent Sect. 11. You alledge that they who assembled at Glasgow came vpon priuate missiues from his Maiestie and vpon promises of gaine Mr. Dauid obiected that before and I answered it in my Dikaiologie onely you adde that I know it to be so but if you hope to make your Assertion good you shall doe well to vse some other probations for in truth I know not any such thing Sect. 16. The argument I vsed mistaken by you concerning the Apostles dispensation of Circumcision shall be cleared in mine answere to the last Opponent who also impugnes it Sect. 17. 18. You would proue that you are not the Authors of Schisme but Bishops why because they haue departed from the gouernment whereunto you stand say you but this middes will not draw on that conclusion For wee stand to the gouernment of our first Fathers confessed by your selfe from the which who so shall be found to haue departed let the blame be theirs Sect. 19. Your alledging of the growth of Papistrie now that was not before is as I told you a Sophisme A non causa pro causa Kingdomes and Churches haue their owne periods of times whereinto sinnes long contracted before doe bring iudgement vpon them which honest and godly men cannot hold off By this same reason Daniell and Ezekiell might be blamed for Babels Captiuitie which the sinnes of former ages had procured It were but folly for you or vs eyther to charge one another with the causes of this wrath There are none of vs free by our sinnes wee haue deserued iudgement God giue vs grace ioyntly to preuent it by vnfained repentance in all holines and loue Sect. 28. You charge mee for comparing my brethren of the Ministrie to Shimeies if I had so done I were worthie to be blamed but in truth you haue mistaken mee God forbid My words are plaine against the Libeller and such as hee who if in their calling they were laborious as I did hope to giue them example if they were acquainted with mee they should finde no time for such idle toyes and I maruell how men can so farre misconstrue my words for I affirmed plainely that I was perswaded no well aduised Christian would fight with such armour as lying Libels and if no common Christian will doe it farre lesse euer thought I that a Christian Preacher would doe it And where you say they are very idle if they be not more laborious then I my answere is let the Worke beare witnesse And so fare you well in the Lord. Edenburgh Nouemb. 24. 1613. An Answere to the second THE second to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth in like a swaggerer breathing out many brawling speeches without either truth or modestie â—he shoots his fectlesse bolt and hideth himselfe which is the fashion of a feeble coward hee conceales his name but by his speech may be discerned to be some Lucius Blastus a furibund but a figuline fellow loadned with railings lyings fabulous fictions wherewith he ouer-burdens himselfe I leaue him where I found him vexing himselfe with his owne anger tumbling and weltring in the puddle of his tumultuaâ— thoughts whereof hee cannot rid himselfe bragging most vainely but bringing nothing that may be counted worthie of an answere saue onely that for lacke of any other thing wherewith to charge me Hee carps at my Commentarie vpon the eight to the Romanes and passing by as the manner of enuious men is all the good that is in it hee findes fault with the Grammaticall construction of the seauenth verse A great matter indeede I thanke the Lord these labours of mine published in twelue or thirteene seuerall Treatises hath done good to the Church and howsoeuer they be disesteemed by you and some of
promised Messiah then Satan set vpon him and the mouthes of all his cursed instruments were opened to blaspheme him Now we know that the seruant is not aboue the master Si aut 〈…〉 aut palmarom folia complicarem vt insâ—dore vultus mei panem comederem ventris opus sollicita mente pertrectarem â—â—â—lus morderet 〈◊〉 reprehenderet nunc autem iuxta sententiam Saluatoris volo operari cibum qui non perit geminus mihi error infigitur If were set said Hierome to weaue a basket of twigs with the bull-rush or to twist the leaues of I'alme-trees or by any such base occupation I had no more adoe but to care for my belly that I might eate my bread in the sweat of my brow I might doe it all my dayes and no man bite mee or reproue me for it but now because according to the saying of our Sauiour I labour in a spirituall calling to nourish my selfe and others with that bread of life which perishes not a double error is enforced vpon me Virum egregium sequitur proximorum inuidia Enuie alway followes vertue where it can hurt no otherway it impugnes by calumnie this is as Nazianzen calls it Malum grauissimum generosam enim 〈◊〉 um virorum constautiam labefactere nititur A most heauie euill for by it Sathan seekes to weaken the constancie of good men and so much the greater euill is it Quia non solum falsa componit sed etiam quae piâ—gesta sunt decolorat Because faies Ambrose it not onely forges false things but falsifies true things deforming and defacing that with her vncouth colours which is done sincerely and out of a good affiâ—ction 3 With the like of these weapons hath Sathan fought against mee in his peeuish instruments euer since the Lord called mee to be a Preacher and no maruaile Shall a man trample on a Serpent and not looke to be stinged I haue professed my selfe by the grace of my Lord a disquieter of Sathans Kingdome I thinke it not strange if hee doe what hee can to disquiet mee disquiet hee may dishearten hee shall not Shall I be mooued at his lying Libellers No Absit à seruo Christi tale inquinamentum vt patientia maioribus praeparata in minimis excid at Farre be that spot from the seruants of Christ that their patience prepared for greater should faile in so small tentations Quâ— cito iniuria mouetur facit se dignum videri contumelia Hee that is hastily moued with a contumely makes it to seeme that hee is worthie of it What then shall I vtterly neglect his false accusations No least by them any credit I haue to doe good vnto others be stollen from mee I will neither suffer an Absolom nor an Achitophel A Friend nor a Foe to steale away from mee the hearts of any of Gods people if I may stay it To such therefore as feare God I speake as Augustine did to his brethren Mihi sufficit conscientia mea vobis necessaria est fama mea To mee my conscience is sufficient but for you my good name is necessarie Of such as are mine Enemies either of weakenesse or wickednesse I demaund as Iacob did of Laban Now when yee haue searched all my stuffe what haue yee found bring it forth that we may see it 4 O forsooth yee were once otherwayes minded concerning Church-gouernement In some things I confesse I was in others not Paritie in Church-gouernment I euer thought the Mother of confusion neither can I see that God hath beene the Author of it in any of his workes yea by the diuersitie of his gifts he declares that hee allowes not equalitie in gouernment where here if any strife be about comparison of gifts I haue no more to say but that hee who in humilitie of minde cannot submit himselfe to obay any other was neuer meete to bee a Ruler of others how great so euer has gifts be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that Preachers should haue place in Parliament to giue light out of the holy Oracle to the Prince and States of the Kingdome I euer thought it both reasonable and necessarie and did by my publike voice approue it in that generall assembly holden at Dundie wherein this matter was first motioned And in these publike Lectures which once in the moneth wee had in our Presbyteriall exercise for clearing the Controuersies of this time I did in my course openly declare how in Church-gouernment a happy meane were to be wished betweene Anarchie and Monarchie two fearefull euils in the Church the one proceeding from paritie wrought confusion as might be seene in the pitifull state of the Churches of Flanders the other breeding tyrannie and all sort of oppression a lamentable proofe whereof we might see in the Churches of Italy and other parts vnder the dominion of that Romish Vsurper thus is there not so great a cause to charge me with a change as is alleaged 5 But in that wherein before I misliked Episcopall gouernment fearing least tyrannie libertie and other euils should follow it if now perceiuing a Christian King most carefull out of his rare pietie and wisedome to see it vsed vnto the right end I haue changed my minde as many others both worthie Fathers and brethren in our Church haue done to whom the world cannot denie an honest testimonie what imputation should this be vnto me Cum mentem in melius mutare non leuit as sit sed virtus sith for a man to change his minde to the better it is no leuitie nor inconstancie as the lying Libeller termes it but vertue Episcopall gouernment was embraced of this Church ere I was borne and with it wee enioyed the Gospell for many yeares and some that were worthie and faithfull men in this same Ministrie of Perth wherein I haue now laboured by the grace of God almost this twentie yeares did discharge in effect the same office of a Bishop in the bounds of Galloway yea by imposition of their owne hands did ordaine Bishops of other Dioces If there were then a reason why the Episcopall gouernment once embraced being fallen in decay the Presbyteriall should be established is it not now possible thinke ye to get a reason why both of them should be reunited the one of them being ordained to honour and strengthen the other and being reduced to that order and vse for which anciently it did serue in the Primitiue Church Especially seeing it is done by the fatherly fore-cast and prouident care not without warrant of Gods word example of the Primitiue Church nor aduice of the present Church of such a King as God hath giuen vs a Professor a Confessor a Semi-martyt a Protector a Preacher a Propagator of the Gospell with vs whose power for any thing I can yet learne is greater in the externall gouernment of the Church then we haue well considered of 6 O but say you by this change the people are made vncertaine of
to defend your owne though with the interest of theirs And againe you say That such as shall be liberall to speake against you appearingly you call them carnall contentious Spirits Demi-gods as if God had set his tribunall in their tongue or made them Iudges of mens Consciences Libellers of lies Shemeis Raylers Busie-bodies Night-birds c. THE ANSVVERE DOe you not here speake as one of the children of men set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Are you not heere blowing at the coale to kindle if you can a fire among brethren To strengthen your feeble cause you cry for a partie and goes about not with the godly policie of S. Paul to deuide Pharisies and Sadduces but with the godlesse impietie of the Serpent to sowe the seede of dissention among brethren That euill-one doth it in the night when men are sleeping and you are not afraid to doe it in the day and all men looking vpon you Is it true which you haue said speake you iustly and haue you iudged vprightly Will you throw these words of mine against my brethren are you become so brazen-fac'd haue you shaken off all shame and taken libertie to say what you like yea euen against your owne light for you dare not say plainely to it but appearingly say you I call them so Are not my words plaine said I not in mine Apologie I am sure no well aduised Christian will fight with such armour if I thinke no Christian will doe it farre lesse will any brother of the Ministrie doe it Are they who are contrarie minded in Church-gouernment otherwise stiled by mee then Reuerend Fathers or Brethren God knowes they are so in my heart as I haue termed them in speech Yet you say I haue iniured them in their name My speech was then against a lying Libeller and some other professours whereof some are preposterously zealous others prophanely presumptious to giue out rash iudgement of all men I knew not then that you had beene one of that sort but since my words haue beene to you like the breath of the Hart to draw such a Serpent as you out of your denne and make you know your selfe in your owne colours I cannot but tell you plainely that you are one of them to whom all these Epithets rehearsed by you are competent a few onely excepted Carnally contentious a rayling busie-bodie a Demâ—god vsurping Gods tribunall you haue here declared your self but of others I cleare you that you are not a night-bird a chatterer in secret a biter behinde backes For the height of your pride and stoutnesse of your conceit carries you so farre that you thinke it too little for the greatnesse of your reputation to be a Pestilence walking in darknesse Nay for the honour of your name you must be daemonum meridianum a plague that destroyes at noone and an arrowe that flies by day to slay the innocent This is wickednesse more then enough and yet Vt sit supra modum peccans peccatum you will adde drunkennesse to thirst and not content to slay one you will as I said be a fire-brand in the Church to burne all kindling continuing encreasing fierie contention among brethren It became you rather of Christian dutie if you knew it to bring words of modestie truth and loue like water to quench the fire that is then by words of strife and contention to kindle it where it is not et sic oleum camino addere Thinke you Mr. Dauid to goe betweene vs and our brethren beleeue mee they neede not your patrocinie at our hands nor we yours or any mans at theirs euen the Lord knowes how wee haue tendred their names they are our brethren wee dare goe neerer them then you to liue with them to die with them where discrepance of iudgement is about things externall God knowes it is with our mutuall griefe where consonance is as blessed be the Lord it is in all points of Faith it is with our mutuall ioy And since the beginning of this Controuersie I did euer thinke it a lamentable thing to see such as agree in vnitie of faith disagree in a matter of Discipline and that those who could happily haue concorded on a scaffold to scale the truth of God professed by them both if so the Lord had called them vnto it should thus vnnecessarily discord for a question of externall Church-gouernement in it selfe not absolutely requisite to Saluation But this as I said in mine Apologie is the pittifull condition of humane infirmitie If I cannot mend it I shall at least mourne for it and will daily pray to my God that he would set peace in Ierusalems borders and vnite the hearts of his seruants into one Neither will I despaire of it but will pray the Lord to stirre vp in this Church such a man as Athanasius was and blesse the worke of this Vnion in his hands A powerfull instrument of the Lord was hee to conserue puritie of Doctrine by his singular constancie with peace among Preachers by his godly wisedome for this was he renowned as Columen Ecclesiae in his time Many times was hee banished by deceit and often-times forced to flie to eschew the furie of his enemie but none of all his sufferings purchased him such commendation as this that when hee came home and found a Schisme among the Fathers of the Church for a greater cause then any that is among vs praised be God yet he happily composed it Vtraque enim parte leniter humane accersita verborumque sententia diligenter accurrate perpensa postaquam Concordes reperit nec quantum ad doctrinam quicquam inter se dissidentes ita negotium transegit vt nominum vsum ipsis concedens rebus ipsos constringeret For calling both the parties with meekenesse and loue vnto him and iudiciously pondering either of their opinions he perceiued that concerning Doctrine there was no difference the diuersitie was about words the matter vvhich either of them beleeued one and the same hee did therefore so compose this discord that leauing vnto them free the vse of the words names hee bound them both with necessitie of the matter it selfe I wish againe that such an Athanasius were among vs for I can see nothing but strife about words and persons there being otherwise agreement both in the matter of Doctrine and Discipline The same power of gouernement that now is in our Church was alway in it now vnder the name of a Bishop before vnder a name equiualent to it And when both the names were silent yet the power of them both euer exercised by some When the name was not the matter remained the power I meane in substance But now contention is growne to such heat that an Office tollâ—rably lawfull needfull in it selfe is thought vntollerable vnder such a name and for such persons as are with it or against it A lamentable matter for the which I sigh within
for my part I could agree with Nazianzen to be cast ouer boord as Ionas was depriued of all preferment in the Church if this might stay the storme of strife which as may be seene by your words contention for the greatest gifts hath raised in it Though in this also I rather thinke you speake out of your owne conceit not out of sound iudgement as wherein others will allow you But howeuer it be till a better reformation come let mee tell you you haue here also spoken what you should not Neuer one of you haue done any good say you What if I should say you are in the wrong to some of them requiring fruit ere euer the tree be fastned to others very malicious that cannot see fruit euen where it abounds hauing still an eye to see euill not to see good Mr. Dauid tell mee who planted the Churches of Annandail and other countries in the South border who made the Gospell to be preached there where it was not heard in our daies nor in the daies of our Fathers was it any Presbyterie I doubt not they would but could not you will finde it was the diligence and fidelitie of a Bishop I may say further that in sundrie parts of the high Land the name of Christ is brought in reuerence by the care of Bishops where it was not knowne before in such bounds as haue not beene visited by any Superintendent Bishop Commissioner nor Presbiterie before this I could tell you of a meane Bishop who hath made a constant prouision of three thousand Markes by yeere to his Ministers more then their former stipends and this care of the continuance of the Gospell after vs you cannot denie to be a good action Besides that many professed enemies haue rendred themselues professed friends by the care and diligence of such as vnder God and his Maiestie haue speciall charge in the Church None of the rest want their owne witnesses some more some lesse wherein I could be particular but before we with the Pharises would proclaime by Trumpet our good deedes wee will rather keepe silence contented to let this blast of yours blow by vs also yet the winde encreaseth and blustereth out these mightie blasts which follow THE ADMONENT AND is any man so impudent as to say that his Maiesties good course against Papists is deerer to you then to them better fauoured by you or are you more earnest in it Doe any of you dare any of you doe more for it or for his Maiestie in it Alas how poore a power is that of Bishops in that case but that it is vnderpropped by them THE ANSVVERE SEeing by your owne confession Bishops are vnderpropped by Preachers why come you to vndermine them whom Preachers vnderprop vnlesse you be minded to fight against them both It is true Bishops are the stronger in that they haue worthie Preachers assistors vnto them in the combat against the enemie and they in like manner finde themselues more strengthened by authoritie of Bishops and it is best when they goe ioyntly together to doe the worke of God why then complaine you hereafter of an vniting or revniting to be made betweene them and rage at a mixture as you call it your selfe betweene Bishops and their brethren of the Ministrie and here and euery where throughout this Eristic Libell of yours doe what you can to stirre vp the one against the other and set them by the eares together for what language is this of yours Doe you dare you Know you what spirit leadeth you to speake so if you know not looke to your selfe in this glasse And there came out a man whose height was sixe cubits and an hand bredth and hee had an helmet of brasse on his head and a Brigandine vpon him which weighed fiue thousand Shekels of brasse and hee had bootes of brasse and a shield of brasse and a speare like a weauers beame and hee stood and cryed Doe you dare you Is any of you able to fight against me And so also railed Rabsache Are you able to ride the horses of my Master Thus did these Infidels in their pride despise the people of God and vilifie them sore And with no lesse carnall confidence doth this great Giant come out against vs as if with his threatning voyce of Doe dare yee hee would afray vs all But Rabsache stay your railing glorious Goliah get you backe againe to your Tent lay downe your Speare and waightie Brigandine put off your carnall armour of vaine windie and bragging words and vnder pretence of loue to some of Israels armie reproach not the rest Through grace we both doe and dare doe to the glorie of our God when you if you continue in this Pharâ—saicall boasting will proue but a phantasticall phraser Take you therefore in time to a more wise and sober minde or doubtlesse some stone out of the Riuer of God will beate out your braines And this for your intended confutation of my first reason in effect no other but a digression from it I absolued it in sixe lines and you haue heaped vp a multitude of words Commendations Comparisons impertinent to the purpose and no way touching my reason but you goe on in your owne conceit as followeth THE ADMONENT HAd you said you had laid downe a Bishopricke for his Maiesties comfort and obedience you had said something but to take it on for that end is a pretended excuse which no man will approue for who will not take it on that thinkes it lawfull THE ANSVVERE MAster Dauid if for obedience of a Christian King you thinke it good a man should lay downe a Bishopricke why thinke you it euill that for his obedience he should accept it Beleeue me if the Church shall thinke it expedient and his Maiestie shall declare it to be his pleasure and in this require a proofe of mine obedience I shall doe the one more speedily more willingly then euer I did the other not for any vnlawfulnesse or misliking of it but for the loue I haue to a more quiet life my selfe And thinke you Mr. Dauid that no man hath or doth accept a Bishopricke being rather willing to want it So you speake out of your carnall minde of things which yee know not measuring other men with your spanne but I am sure the minde of an honest Bishop or Pastor is a more high and diuine thing then that you G. are able to iudge it How many worthy men of the Primitiue Church notwithstanding that they thought the office lawfull yet haue fled it and denyed it till they haue beene forced by the Church to accept it yea some haue dismembred themselues that they might eschew it I know their preposterous zeale is not commendable yet good enough to improue you that euery one who alloweth a Bishoprie is not euer willing to accept it But you thinke these men are not now adaies and seeing it is so that such as like it will make no scruple to
holy Scripture with a verie good will we agree vnto it more readie then you are to require it That is the Fort of Sion it defends both the Citie and the vvalls but how vainely you bragge of this your selfe vvill make manifest to your owne shame when we come to the question it selfe you will be found to denie it then and euen presently you denie it forsaking to reason the matter and turning you to your wonted inuectiues in personam THE ADMONENT ANd thinke you to honour this abuse of it and for that cause takes it on your selfe Strange you should thinke sâ— and is it not arrogancie so to thinke you mixe a word like modestie as farre as your credite might carie you you would remoue the offence but might you not know that would be no way off not halfe an inch doubtlesse your credit might not serue you to honour it it might well impaire your credite c. THE ANSVVERE YOu shew your selfe an arrogant man imputing that vnto mee which I neuer said neuer thought that is say you to honour the abuse of the name and office of a Bishop I honour the Office the abuse I neuer loued and farre lesse now My credit is little worth in your eies to remoue the offence not halfe an inch as you say but if it be so what needes all this stirre that you haue made what needes such lamentation Alas alas such bitter inuection such complaint of the great triumph made be my example you are an vnmeete man to dwell in the borders if you waken the Countrey and all your friends for halfe an inch But Mr. Dauid be as troublesome as you like you shall know for a certaine that I care nothing to be disesteemed of you it contents me to know that I haue remoued that offence out of the hearts of sundrie that feares God not in a part but vtterly which Mr. Dauid if you be not crabbed is more then any one of your inches though you were as great euen in stature of bodie as you are in statelinesse of minde and then I am sure you should proue like one of the sonnes of Anak or that Giant the sonne of Haraphath whose fingers were by sixes foure and twentie in number Yet when he reuiled Israel Ionathan Dauids brother did slay him THE ADMONENT THe third is neuer a whit better but worse if worse can be To eschew Schisme and close it vp Eschew Schisme In a Schisme by going to the wrong side was the like euer heard Or if you meane that all should doe so goe to the Schismaticke side and then there should be no Schisme it may be true by that meane there should be no Schisme but it should be farre worse all should be in an errour yet better a Schisme in the Church be then the whole Church erring THE ANSVVERE MY third reason vvas that I perceiued in our Church an vnnecessarie diuision for the matter of Church-gouernement to the great aduantage of the common enemie which gap I resolued for my part not to enlarge by contention but to close vp so farre as my weakenesse may This offends Mr. Dauid and he professes plainely he had rather Minister should be against Minister Pulpit against Pulpit Preachers against the King King against Preachers then hee lay downe his conceit of gouernement or suffer others to doe it And to couer his nakednesse hee hath shapen a large cloake for it but it is of Figge-tree leaues Better a Schisme be in the Church then that the whole Church be in an errour but why abuse you the people Is there any man or any Church on earth without errour and are there not sundrie errours not so pernitious to the Church as Schisme Speake plainely to the people if any false Doctrine be in the Church warne them that they may beware of it but where vnder the name of errour in generall you would make the people beleeue that they were seduced in the faith Mr. Dauid you are but a Master-deceiuer and since you professe you will defend a Schisme and perturbe the peace of the Church you are worthie of a Schismatickes punishment that is to be cut off from the Church For doubtlesse you haue shewed your selfe heere a most malitious Sycophant see what must follow vpon your words you shut vp all the Churches of Europe standing for Episcopall gouernement into an errour and so makes a great gap in the Armie of Israel which God hath gathered together by the trumpet of his Gospell against Babel In like manner you spet in the face of your Mother affirming that our Church was in an errour twentie yeeres all the dayes of Iohn Knoxe for all that time it had no gouernement but Episcopall all that time there was not such a thing as a Presbyterie in the Church of Scotland and if any truth be in you all that time was our Church in errour Beside this you are blasphemous against the Church present and would make simple people beleeue that an errour is enforced vpon them by the King by Preachers by the generall assembly wherein you doe most wickedly and falsly gaine-stand the truth since no such thing is done but onely a gouernement restored which the Primitiue Church had which Orthodoxe Churches of all times haue had which our owne Church in her purest state had here is the point here is all the errour and for out-holding of this you professe a Schisme and diuision betweene a King and Church betweene Pastors and Pastors Mr. Dauid is not Ierusalem besieged without by Romanes Are not here both King and people in like perill And the King impugned by the aduersarie beyond the rest for the supereminence of his place Is there any Israelite vvithin either Pastor or people whose blood is not sought by the enemie Is it time then it should be deuided within the selfe Shall Shimeon Iochanan and Eleâ—zer draw the Citie into factions Who will not faile to striue for superioritie among themselues if Romanes relent to trouble them Haue wee not a Christian King going before vs to fight the Lords battell hazarding all that hee hath for the welfare of Ierusalem hath hee not aduanced himselfe before the Armie and with his owne hands wounded the aduersaries head Are not the seruants of the Lord with his Maiestie to crie alarum in the name of the Lord and blow the trumpet Haue they not with them the holy Oracle of the word of GOD is any point of that truth impaired by them Stand they not in defence of it against the Armie of Antichrist This Mr. Dauid is the side where-vnto I haue taken mee I wish I had knowne it sooner that I might haue ioyned vnto it and to this side are you bound by all reason to render your selfe which if you will doe and moue others by your example to doe the like in so doing you might declare your affection your dutie your seruice your deerest estimation of his Maiestie whereof you vaunted so greatly before
in word you might now make it knowne by your deedes But now my fourth reason you gaine-say in this manner THE ADMONENT THe fourth to enduce Bishops ad remedium Schismatis that is to say the Authors of Schisme for the remedie of Schisme if this be not mockerie I know not what is mockerie for are not Bishops the onely Authors of Schisme in our Church Were they not the first occasion formers mouers forgers ftirrers vp and yet entertainers of it It was not till they came put them away and it is gone loe the right remedie of our Schisme c. Mâ—tter not therefore these suspitious words which you professe to speake lesse of for duties sake THE ANSVVERE SHall men hold their peace at thy lies and when thou mockest others shall none make thee ashamed It was Ieromes iudgement that Episcopall gouernement vvas brought into the Church inremedium Schismatis and I said the like rupture now required the like remedie This argument you vnloose not with your tongue but your teeth biting at that after the manner of beasts which offends you not answering it with reason What is mockerie say you if this be not mockerie Is it mockerie to say that a Bishop was brought in inremedium Schismatis since it is Ieromes saying charge him as a mocker and not me and after your owne manner trample all men vnder your feete be they auncients or recents that agrees not with your humour this vvas Ieromes Iudgement but when wee come to the point Episcopall gouernement will be found elder then Ieromes dayes and maintained by greater authoritie where-vnto also that I doe him no wrong I thinke his owne words shall leade vs. But say you there was no Schisme till Bishops came they haue made it not remedied it This double calumnie is answered very well by affirmation of the contrarie and where you vrge mee not to vtter such suspitious words as to say the lesse I speake for duties sake the more I leaue to be considered of them who know the truth heereof Mr. Dauid you may prouoke as you please and tempt as you will but you shall neuer preuaile to make mee vncouer nakednesse which should rather be concealed and couered And if of weakenesse I were moued so to doe yet as Calanus the Indian Philosopher said to Alexander what praise were it to you to force me to doe that which I like not Where Bishops are reuerenced there is a comely vnitie pleasant to see such as should be in the Familie of God mutuall loue among brethren and of them all loue and reuerence to their Bishop as vnto their Father This haue I seene and haue reioyced in it What needlesse diuision hath beene before is knowne also but shall not be knowne for me to them who know it not Now you proceede to the improbation of my first Reason by sixe Interrogatories THE ADMONENT NOw of the fift what shall I say when you haue searched all the question is about Ierusalems wall whether it should be round or foure-squared euill searched certainely who searcheth well will finde more to-wit the first question is whether the wals that are built already should be pulled downe and built in another fashion Secondly which are strong built with stone and lime at the least I might say with brasse and Iron bands already if they should be pulled downe and built with sand and grummell THE ANSVVERE BOth these questions are resolued with one answere Let the auncient wals of our Church-gouernment stand where they decaied let them be repaired not with sand and grummell of promiscuall regiment these are weake defences for a besieged Citie but with Episcopall Authoritie which is able to procure greatest reuerence to Ecclesiastique Censures which otherwise by the impietie of this age men would draw into contempt and make them but like the Spiders Web hauing some strength to hedge in the weaker but easily broken through by the stronger And this the Aduersarie findes in experience that the wall which they haue besieged so long is stronger now then euer it was where-through many of their chiefe Captaines are moued to forsake their Campe and enter themselues into the Citie And if our good Ezechia had not thus carefully repaired the wall doubtlesse you had felt the weakenes of it long ere now the charge being so great that was giuen by the enemie and I may well say that all those who are not bewitched with some sinister conceit finde peace procured to the Citie in her owne bowels and greater strength against the common enemie so that others also of the meaner sort who oft before contemned our greatest censure of Excommunication in all parts of the Kingdome are faine now to render themselues obedient to Discipline this is a knowne truth howsoeuer Mr. Dauid would obscure it THE ADMONENT BVT if the question be light and of so small importance as you would make it seeme by that fashion of speaking as a difference onely betweene round and square why is so much trouble so much strife such trauell such charges â—â—ugre the indwellers with such compulsion of the worke men better let it stand as it stands then trouble all the Countrey or hurt a simple Labourer if there were no more c. THE ANSVVERE INdeede because you are the people onely Wisedome must remaine with you If the good man of Gods-Croft counsell had been craued and his consent obtained all should haue gone well But Mr. Dauid for all your malecontentment it is better then you apprehend it your errour proceeds from the wrong vptaking of the question if you had to do with your companion or the Controuersie were onely among the workemen themselues then to speake as you haue done were somewhat tolerable suppose-not absolutely best But here Mr. Dauid you haue to doe with your Master with your Soueraigne Lord with whom it becomes you not to stand vpon as good And here the question is feeing the great Maister of the worke vnder God with aduise of many skilfull and worthy workemen will haue the wals repaired and of circular made quadrangular knowing this to be best for the safetie of the Citie and that vpon his owne expences not troubling the whole countrey vnlesse you and your Diocie be the whole not maugre the indwellers but with consent and approbation of the most wise and auncient inhabitants in it Whether is it meeter that the rest of the Worke-men here should follow him or otherwise resist him and tell him to his face they will not doe it for him and not content onely to with-draw their owne seruice in this worke and obedience from him will not suffer if they may stay it any of their fellow-workemen to serue him in that worke or if any will doe murmure and grudge against them speake euill of them and esteeme them for enemies and so make a fearefull diuision in the Citie for a needlesse cause But to leaue the Parable and to speake plainely seeing a Christian
comes of them when they begin to change Euen as the finest wine turnes into the sharpest vinegar How then shal a man be without feare but I nothing doubt it is in his Maiestie his chiefe cares to establish it and that by fensing it against all euils specially tyrannie libertie briberie partialitie sloath which you haue obiected and where desperately you insinuate that the Office of a Bishop will neuer doe good A Wolfe say you will be a Wolfe and all the world had sworne it and will worrie too when the Shepheards backe is turned you but speake of your owne either ignorance or euill set affection considering how many famous Bishops without the reuerence of a Christian King liued as Fathers to the Church faithfull Preachers of the Gospel and died constant Martyrs for the testimonie of Iesus but Mr. Dauid will haue all these rauening Wolfes The other cause why my feare should be greater followes THE ADMONENT THe Office of Bishops then pretended no preheminence now it doth then it was subiect to Presbyteries now it is freed from them then it was bound with caueats now it is let loose Then euery Preacher might speake against it now none reproues then were all alike friend and good fellow with their Pastors now his Lordship c. THE ANSVVERE MAster Dauid wee know better what was wont to be in our Church then you there was neuer all alike as you say in it our gouernement was alway Aristocratick for albeit by constitution for that time paritie was allowed yet was it not practised there was euer some leaders rulers honoured and reuerenced by other Pastors and good reason so should bee what else see you now if the persons liked you the purpose is the same Since the beginning of our Church Bishops Superintendents vvere neuer subiect to the iudgement of their brethren in the matter of their office nay not to their Synods but were reserued to be iudged onely by the generall assembly but you affirme the contrarie pertly enough looking for no controlement Bishops are not let loose suppose they be not left to your teddering But this offends you that they are called Lords let me enquire at you Is honour giuen to any in the Church but for the honour of all if they could looke to it with loue and humilitie euery one might say Honoris vestri participes et nos sumus Will any member of the bodie grudge to see another honoured or rather in the honour of one doe they not all reioyce and esteeme themselues to be honoured Mr. Dauid there is a pride which loueth honour and preferment Our Lord condemnes it there is another pride that disdaines to giue it and I may well say it is the worst pride of the two I will not thinke that either Elijah or Samuel were vaine-glorious when the one was stiled by Obadiah and the other by Anna My Lord Surely it is a weake and vaine minde that is puft vp with so small a winde and yet I am sure both Anna and Obadiah in giuing them this honour did but their dutie But I thinke M. Dauid in this will not be contentious for in the backe of his Letter directed to Bishops he writes To his verie good Lord And then in the subscription within Your L. or wisedomes What he meanes by this I know not he will giue his owne reason hee saith it is a nouation and corruption to call one Pastor a Bishop more then the rest yet hee doth it and here hee practises in secret that which he impugnes in publick and so decâ—iues his complices giuing honour himselfe to Bishops which he saith should not be giuen them they haue cause to feare least sometime hee forsake them Now you proceede THE ADMONENT YOu make a faire shew by bragges to corroborate all by the word of God and example of the Church Primitiue iolly words sooner said then proued strings much harped on by diuers but to little vse and wherein the more men diue the more they cleare the contrarie it may be easily seene through all the subtilties clouds and colours that they cast on it who haue busied themselues in that matter euen your Sarauia euen whosoeuer whom the more men reades the lesse effect they see in him they I say who haue not their eies blinded with some other thing such as blindes not the eies of the wise THE ANSVVERE VVHether it be a faire shew or a solid substance wee will trye when it comes to the point You will not haue it heard that the Primitiue Church had Bishops you may aswell denie that the Sunne shined vnto them you call this a Subterfuge and a large field whereunto we runne to eschew the chocke of the question which say you is this Whether these Bishops that now are and as they are now be lawfull in the Church of Scotland or if the oath hinder But prouoke at leasure ere we part you will finde vs by Gods grace at the chocke of the Question and your selfe chocked with it for all your boast but I must first goe through this hedge of Bryers and Brambles which you haue laid in my way You set light by our Sarauia as you call him but you deceiue your selfe if you thinke our strength is in Sarauia for mine owne part I neuer read him so much as I haue done you and of that which I haue read I see Sarauia will stand for himselfe for all you are able to say your little Dagger will not reach to him and it were shame for you now though you might to strike at a dead man as I heare hee is it were greater manhood to encounter with Downame you dissemble that you know him but if you doe and mislike him hee is readie to fight with you in that cause till your Logicke panne be cleane dryed vp or the cause renounced One thing you haue that no man can see any thing in Sarauia but Sophistrie and falshood except those whose eyes are blinded with some other thing such as blindes the eyes of the wise you would seeme here to be modest yet of purpose as mordent as you may be whom you would insimulate of briberie Aduise with your selfe if you be seeking any such here as the By-word is You are in the wrong Close I told you before you were acquainted with the Muses onely the Dorit Muse hath beene strange vnto you you were capable enough of her instruction but shee tooke no paines vpon you it is meetest you should meane you to Melpomene her mourning moodes might procure you pittie but out of your pride and male contentment to blot such as you are bound to honor and secretly to insinuate that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as gaue iudgement for gifts is intollerable presumption I protest before God I know none such in the Church I would not say it for all the world If any such be of all men they are the most miserable if they be not Mr. Dauid declareth what
good of his Brethren as if I had so spoken of my selfe confirmes me in that which I perceiued before that you are but a vaine discourser pleasing your selfe in Argutijs silly fectlesse and impertinent conceptions and speeches And therefore being loath to wearie the Reader and my selfe both any longer with your Battâ—log-Tautolâ—gies I presently commit them to the South winde to be carried away from your Peele-house at Preston with the remaâ—ent smoke of your pannes to the water of Forth and so bid farewell to Mr. Dauid in his furie and now turne mee to speake with him in his more sober minde THE ADMONENT VVHat is there then to be done here will you say euen this certainely as you said sometime your selfe If you haue gotten new light which you had not before communicate it to others your Brethren that they also may follow you in their hearts and know they yeeld to you in a good conscience c. Let bitternesse be remoued let the cause with calmnesse and meeknesse be considered THE ANSVVERE NOw at length M. Dauid the euill blood begins to fall from your heart God be thanked and you are come to some coolnes suppose not kindly enough yet of your former Feauer wherein you raged yet it puts vs in hope you may recouer of this disease betime what you haue here said I receiue â—buijs vlnis any light I haue I will willingly communicate bitternesse â— agree be remoued Perit enim iudicium vbires transit in affectum I wish therefore perturbate and preiudicat affection may be laid by It is onely these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that fights against Episcopall gouernement To be short I embrace all your conclusion and euery condition of it except onely where you will me not to disguise my speech by sought out sentences and oâ—tentation of reading to iuggle the iudgement of the simple I must warne you that whether your word stand for a iâ—gulator or a deceiuing Iugler your deede comes too soone against your protestation euen now you craued bitternesse may be remoued and you cannot leaue it but to vse your owne Prouerbe A Wolfe will be a Wolfe Naturam expellas furcalicet vsque recurret And as to my manner of writing I cannot change it I want not my owne reasons neither haue you any cause to complaine of it Now we goe to the question THE ADMONENT I Goe from all that long disputation 1. Whether Bishops be lawfull 2. Whether they were and how they were in the Primitiue Church which you claime to 3. How they were in our owne Church at the beginning or leaues it to a fitter time and alledgeth how euer these things were they are not lawfull now to vs 1. In respect of our oath since our oath 2. in respect of our Discipline more profitable for vs. THE ANSVVERE NOw Mr. Dauid hauing of a long time trauelled with wickednesse and conceiued mischiefe at length bringeth forth a lye When all is reckoned and counted the matter comes to iust nothing Et magno conatu murem tandem peperisse videtur Who could haue looked but that Mr. Dauid who so largely and liberally hath condemned Bishops in word would haue brought at least one argument against them hee doth it not but rather destroyes all that hee hath said before You cannot eschew this you haue multiplyed words and by most sharp Inuectiues haue condemned Episcopall gouernment you haue called it tyrannie and vnlawfull in it selfe and now you remit the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of it to be disputed Truely good man you haue wronged the partie and abused the Reader for according to reason you should haue disproued Episcopall gouernment before you had condemned it but after that you haue condemned it is it not your shame to remit it to further reasoning In the one you haue shewed superfluitie of malice mouing you to speake euill of it in the other penurie of knowledge that you haue no reason to iustifie you in the condemning of it Thus haue you shewed your selfe in initio confident em in facto timidum one that feareth to fight but is bold to bragge You will not simplie giue ouer the combat but declines it farely for this time and puts it off to a better time but in my minde a better time could you neuer haue had then this seeing you haue gathered your friends and haue mustered you Armie and ordered it out of your ripest wits in sixe sheetes of paper before you what a shame is it that in so feeble manner you should turne your backe and leaue all that you haue sent and said before You haue braued a Bishop in presence of your friends now hee stands before you and you dare not looke him in the face nor strike one stroke at him in this quarrell that the office of a Bishop is vnlawfull in it selfe But to pursue you euen to the vttermost point wherevnto you haue fled in this also you shew your selfe weake yea ridiculous for now you haue drawne all your speech to this Assertion and I pray the iudicious Reader to consider it Howsoeuer Episcopall Gouernment in it selfe be lawfull or vnlawfall to other Churches or sometime lawfull in our owne Church yet it is not lawfull now A Paradoxe indeede I thinke Mr. Dauid speakes not simplie but grants it by concession But taking it as hee giues it let vs heare it ouer againe Though Episcopall gouernement in it selfe were lawfull lawfull to other Churches lawfull once to our owne Church yet now it is not lawfull To proue this Mr. Dauid brings two Reasons which had neede to be very strong it being a strange Position they haue to defend but the Reader shall by Gods grace see it made plaine that there is no more truth worth nor value in his two Reasons then in the rest of his Assertions And since the whole weight of the Controuersie stands vpon these two Reasons I set them downe truely to you as Mr. Dauid hath set them downe to mee The first REASON We may not receiue Bishops because the oath in conceiued word is against Hierarchie The second REASON In respect of our receiued Discipline more profitable for our Church The Confutation of these reasons BEfore I come to a iust examination of these Reasons I will onely present a view of their weaknesse to the Reader in these words In the Confession of faith sworne and subscribed by the Preachers and Professors of this Land they haue abiured the Popes wicked and worldly Hierarchie Mr. Dauid leauing out the differences of Papall wicked worldly makes mention onely of Hierarchie which in it selfe signifies an authoritie or imperatiue power in things sacred Who will abiure this but to declare their meaning they added these three differences Papall worldly wicked but Mr. Dauid to declare how hee distrusts his owne cause deceiueth the simple by putting in into his Reason the Word Hierarchie onely By this any indifferent Reader may see that Mr.
therefore when first his Maiestie perceiued an intended nouation in Church-gouernement his Highnesse discharged it and protested against it by his letter registred in the Bookes of generall assembly An. 1579. â—ul 7. What can you finde out of all this why Episcopall authoritie should not be restored againe or rather see you not many reasons that should moue vs to receiue it 7 As for your alleadged oath whereby you make the simpler sort beleeue that our Church hath abiured Episcopall gouernement the strength of your cause is in it but it shall be knowne to be as weake as the rest of your defences For first of all an Oath should be defended by the lawfulnesse of the thing that is sworne and it is no good ground in Diuinitie to defend the thing that is sworne by pretence of the sacred authoritie of an Oath This order you keepe not Secondly since the most part of Preachers in our Church gaue no Oath for Discipline at all for mine owne part it was neuer required of mee and I know there 〈◊〉 many others in the same estate What reason is it that the Oath of some albeit they had made it as you say which will not be found should binde others that made it not Thirdly when it was appointed by act of Parliament An. 1572. Ianuar. 26. that the confession of faith which therein at length is exprest should be sworne and subscribed by all Church-men the gouernement which then was in our Church was Episcopall for the Oath and subscription is ordained to be made in presence of the Archbishop Superintendent or Commissioner of the Diocie as the words of the Act plainly imports so that this Oath makes no renunciation of Episcopall authoritie but rather ratefies and approues it Fourthly concerning the latter Negatiue confession whereof it is most likely you meane what will you finde there against Episcopall gouernement Nothing at all it is a good confession many Pastors professours of our Church haue sworne it subscribed it Othere say you an Oath is conceiued against Hierarchie Mr. Dauid speake as the truth is Now Rahel takes the Idols and hides them in Cammels litter Now Rachel blushes for shame Now Mr. Dauid steales away the chiefe words of the confession and hides them for feare they should tell the truth and shame him will you say M. Dauid Hath our Church renounced Hierarchie simply all sacred authoritie all order all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say it not for shame there are the words looke what we haue renounced these are the verie words of the Oath We detest and refuse the vsurped authoritie of that Romane Antichrist his worldly Monarchie and wicked Hierarchie Therefore saith Master Dauid we detest all Hierarchie Why mutilate you the words and why falsifie you the words which you bring by a corrupt sense of your owne which I will proue was not the Subscribers minde Will you condemne Episcopall gouernement vnder the name of Papall vsurped worldly wicked Hierarchie Is it ignorance hath moued you who would thinke you were so ignorant or if you know better what malice is this to beare downe a good thing vnder an euill name Were not Bishops in the Church before a Pope vvas in Rome at least before Antichrist was hatched in it Haue any sort of men in the Church done more suffered more to destroy Antichrists Kingdome then Bishops yet you will haue all Bishops Antichristian Let vs first see the iudgement of the Fathers of our owne Church plat contrarie to M. Dauids it may be he will reuerence them and thinke shame of his owne folly when M. Iohn Knox got license from our generall assembly to goe into England they wrote a Letter with him of this tenour The Superintendents and Commissioners of the Church of Scotland to their brethren the Bishops and Pastors in England that haue renounced the Romish Antichrist and doe professe the Lord Iesus with them in sinceritie the perpetuall encrease of the holy Spirit See it registred in our assembly Bookes An. 1566. M. Dauid did our Fathers esteeme Episcopall gouernment Antichristian Hierarchie Do they not plainely disioyne them writing to Bishops that had renounced the Romish Antichrist O but it will be said Our Church was then in her infancie it may be you make them all Infants all the worthie learned and vnspotted Superintendents of our Church Iohn Willok Superintendent of the West Iohn Winram of Fyfe Iohn Spotswood of Lowthian Iohn Erskin of Din Superintendent of Angus Iohn Row Superintendent of Galloway make Infants also of M. Knox M. Craig M. Lyndsay M. Hay with many more I cannot name present at the writing of that Letter all these may well be Infants where a man of your experience comes out but beleeue me wee haue not seene many such olde men in our Church since Now as this sense which you make of the word Hierarchie is against the minde of our first Fathers so is it against the minde of the swearers and subscribers and are you not a foule abuser to inforce vpon them a sense whereof they thought neuer This is cleere as the light For why did not his Maiestie sweare and subscribe that confession of Faith This was his royall and most Christian oath offered to God in defence of his truth Did not his Highnesse there and at many other times professe openly a renunciation of that wicked Hierarchie Will you inferre vpon this that his Maiestie therefore abiured Episcopall gouernement I dare appeale to your owne knowledge hath not his Maiestie kept one constant iudgement concerning Church-gouernement euer from his young yeeres doth not the inhibition of nouation in Church-gouernement cleere this doth not the publike printed Declaration of his Highnesse intention proue it doth not all his Highnesse speeches and actions before the subscription since the subscription declare his Highnesse approbation of Episcopal gouernement and yet you would make it to be beleeued of the people that his Highnesse renounced Episcopall gouernement when his Maiestie renounced Hierarchie vsurped Papall wicked this or else a worse must be the drift of your language Truly you may thanke God you haue to doe with a clement and gratious king And that this same which is his Highnesse mind of that Article is also the minde of most part of the ancient teachers and other brethren learned godly vnspotted who haue well deserued of the Church present by fidelitie in their ministrie will bee cleared also I will not goe about in any inordinate manner to seeke subscriptions to this purpose but when it shall be required by order in the Church you will finde a cloud of witnesses standing against you to improue this calumnie of yours yea many times in my younger yeeres haue I heard famous and auncient Fathers of our Church who haue seene the first beginnings thereof affirme that our Church could not consist vnlesse Episcopall gouernement were restored againe this they spake when there was no appearance of it and when Episcopall
gouernement was in greatest disdaine and at that time being vnacquainted with Church discipline I thought strange to heare it And here againe Mr. Dauid I am in doubt with my selfe what to thinke of you seeing I know no other oath you meane of and you haue touched none other in your Treatâ—se admonitorie what hath carried you to tâ—is absurd affirmation that the oath conceyued against Papall vsurped wicked wordly Monarchie and Hierarchie is against Episcopall authoritie shall I thinke ignorance hath done it You are giuen out and bragged of for a learned man and a Writer Or shall I thinke malice hath done it you are counted for a Christian and so I thinke you be what euer hath moued you sure I am it hath miscarryed you for let mee tell you when Zorimus Bishop of Rome sent ouer his Legates to the councell of Africke wherein were assembled two hundred seauenteene Bishops among whom it is thought Augustine was one to proue that it was lawfull to appeale vnto him from all Bishops in the world alleadging this power was giuen by the Councell of Nice after long deliberation and inquisition of the most auncient Copies of the Councell of Nice his fraudulent vsurpation was discouered and he warmed by these Fathers neuer to attempt any such thing in time to come Many reasons they gaue him as indeede they had all reason for it specially this that the grace of the holy Ghost had not with-drawne it selfe from all other Prouinces to rest in one alone to discerne there the right of all causes wherefore they willed him to abstaine from such ambition Ne fumâ—sum saeculi typhum inducere in Ecclesiam Dei videatur Here Mr. Dauid you see a solemne reiection of the wicked Hierarchie of the Bishop of Rome Did these Fathers by so doing reiect Episcopall authoritie exercised by themselues allowed accepted embraced and reuerenced in their Churches Thus haue I made cleare that you haue fained a sense of that article contrarie to his Maiesties minde contrarie to the minde of the first Fathers of our Church contrary to the minde of the present Fathers of our Church and contrary to the mind of the ancient Fathers of the Church primitiue in the foure hundreth yeere And if I should draw you vp higher are you able to denie that Episcopall gouernment was in the Church before that Romish Hierarchie was hatched out of the the shell What hath the one of them to doâ— with the other Hath the Romish Church beene more impugned by any then Orthodoxe Bishops Or hath any sort of men beene more persecuted by the Romish Hierarchie then reformed Bishops Why are you so vnrighteous as to oppresse the one vnder the name of the other Were all the Bishops who suffered Martyrdome in the first three hundred yeeres guiltie of that Hierarchie which you haue condemned And if I should draw you yet vp higher I see as much light in the word of God as giues warrant to me of the lawfulnesse of Episcopall Gouernment and I doubt not will serue to content reasonable men when they shall heare it You prouoked me to this point but you turne your backe and flie from it and I haue not any leasure to pursue a flying man hauing better studies I would more gladly ouer-take yet something will I subioyne for discharge at least of my dutie 8 These things therefore so standing the Question will be thus Seeing Episcopall gouernment in it selfe is lawfull seeing all Christian Churches haue had it seeing our owne Church had it ratified by acts of generall Assemblie for many yeeres with an happie successe of the Euangell seeing it was laid by against the will of a Christian King in his minoritie against the will of his Highnesse Regent and Lords of Councell well affected to Religion and that not simplie but with a power of reuocation queritur whether if or not a Christian King in his maioritie requiring a restitution of it the present Church hath done well to receiue it in againe especially seeing it is done without destruction of that policie so long aduised and added at length by the Fathers of the middle age of our Church for strengthening of our Discipline To contract then all the matter which you haue spread out with a multitude of idle words into a short summe There is no new Discipline brought into the Church but the auncient restored to thâ— former strength no point of later policie abolished but established and an happy vnion made euery way betweene them who should agree in one to do the worke of God This is my iudgement and I esteeme by it the name of the Church of Scotland honoured a Christian King in his most reasonable desire satisfied the peace of the Church happily procured the mouths of aduersaries stopped offence from weake and simple ones remoued and much more good easily effected if contentious and vaine spirits would not hinder it Thus is the very state of the question cleared vnto you so that you haue no cause to cry out as you doe Who should teach vs but Bishops and if they will not our bloud be vpon their heads You seeme to be very earnest here but all men may see it is but your Orpit or Ironic conceit so like as M. Dauid will be taught of Bishops a sort of profane men without either learning or grace in your account But you neede not make the halfe of this stirre you might be ignorant of Church-gouernement and your bloud in no danger for all that but if indeede you stand in feare least you loose your soule follow our counsell and we shall lay our life for yours Repent of your sinnes Beleeue in Iesus the Sauiour of the world Amend your life Decke the hid man of your heart with a meeke and quiâ—t spirit which before God is a thing much set by Put on loue and meeknesse leaue off strife and contention be content with your owne calling meddle not with things without your compasse whereunto albeit you might reach yet are they not so profitable as to repay your paines nor yet absolutely necessarie for your saluation doe this and it shall be well with you if not your bloud shall be vpon your owne head and none of the Bishops of Scotland shall be guiltie of it The rest of your discourses of paritie and imparitie in Church-gouernement are answered by that which I haue said neither doe you here your selfe insist in them but remit mee by particular quotations to your Epistles foureteene in number written to seuerall men contayning eight sheetes of paper bound vp in forme of a Booke and sent to mee to peruse them But you must remember it is an vnreasonable request to require a Bishop employed in daily teaching and other necessarie charges in the Church to reade ouer all your missiue Letters yet haue I looked to them as I had leasure and answered them as cause requires in this my Defence As for your Epistles if your conceit be such
of them as if they contained humane and diuine learning like that which Augustine hath vttered in his two and twentie Bookes de Ciuitate Dei or if for Eloquence you esteeme them like the workes of some new Cicero or else for vndoubted Rules of Church-gouernement that are in them you meane to make them vp as the bodie of some new Canon Law whereunto in reasoning you will remit men as vnto Rules and Decrees or at least will haue other men take paines to make glosses and Notes vpon them then I pray you Mr. Dauid seeke some Aldus Manutius or Ludouicus Viues or some new Gratianus you will get of these right good on that side of the water but Mr. Dauid for me I thinke them not worthie of that paynes neyther haue I any time to spare vpon them the paines I haue taken are for your satisfaction if reason may doe it to pleasure you I haue lost much good time which I intended to bestow another way At the midst of September I receiued your Admonitorie as your Letter will shew though many saw it before you sent it to mee In the end of October I absolued this answere to it what time hath ouerpast since hath beene spent in writing it ouer and ouer againe for the Presse for you will haue it publicke and it is best so for others and me also to ease me of much paines of priuate writing wherein I cannot giue euery man contentment If my paines profit not you I haue great losse beside my instant labour being forced all this time to intermit mine ordinarie exercise of teaching at Euening Prayer wherein I know you haue done more euill to this people then I thinke you haue done good to any Congregation in the Land but if eyther my paines or their losse for this time may serue to gaine you the one I will thinke pleasure the other I thinke they will esteeme vantage if not yet I hope it shall doe good vnto others And now in the end albeit M. Dauid doe shunne the Question it selfe yet seeing hee desireth I should communicate to him such light as I haue I will not refuse to doe it partly for his satisfaction and partly also for satisfaction of others who are not contentious of purpose about this question There are some godly and learned men in the Church who maintaine Episcopall gouernment to be iuris diuini of diuine authoritie there are others worthy Light of the Church also who albeit they thinke it not to be iuris diuini but humani or Ecclesiastici and sees not that it is a diuine ordinance but humane or Ecclesiastique yet they reuerence it as a good and a lawfull and a profitable policie for the Church If Mr. Dauid will not adioyne himselfe to the first I wish at least hee would betake himselfe to the modest iudgement of the second and consider what a grieuous sinne it is to nourish a Schisme in the Church for such a matter and how far the famous Lights of our time mislike them who spare not to diuide the Church for their opinion in the contrary The Arguments vsed by the first sort the Reader will finde at length in the learned Treatises of D. Whytgift Bilson Douname The reasons mouing mee to incline to Episcopall gouernment and by which I found greatest light and contentment to mine owne minde occurred to mee in the handling of the Epistles to Timothie I haue shortly subioyned them and submit them to the censure of the Church A view of Church-gouernment best warranted by the Word proponed in these few POSITIONS 1 AS other Bookes of holy Scripture are written chiefely for the institution of a Christian to teach him what he must beleeue and doe that he may be saued so the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are especially written for the institution of Ecclesiastique Office-bearers teaching them how to behaue themselues in the gouernement of Gods house 1 Tim. 3. 15. So that as the Tabernacle was build according to the patterne shewed to Moses in the Mount so the right plat-forme of Discipline must be learned from the patterne prescribed by God in his Word and most clearely in these Epistles 2 And as no man can be so farre miscarryed as to thinke that the Epistles directed to the Romanes Corinthians c. containing rules of Faith and Manners belonged to them onely but to all Christians till the worlds end So is there no reason why a man should thinke that the Epistles written to them containing rules of Discipline and Church-gouernment were for them onely but for their successors also 3 So that the power giuen to Timothie and Titus was not personall to endure onely during their dayes or to dye in the Church when they by death were taken from the Church but it is perpetuall to continue in the Church to the worlds end for why the precepts are giuen for gouernment of Gods house and wee know his house is not for one age but for all ages till the worlds end And againe Timothie is commanded to keepe this rule to the second appearance of Christ 1 Tim. 6. 14. which by himselfe is impossible to doe but in his successors 4 Now this power giuen to Timothie and his successors is the power of a Bishop not onely in respect of preaching for in this generall sense all Pastors are Bishops hauing the ouer-sight of their flockes but also in regard of their speciall gouernment and power ouer other Pastors committed to their inspection in which sense the name of a Bishop is proper to some Preachers of the word not common vnto all as is euident out of the points of power by diuine authoritie giuen them 5 As first a power to commaund Pastors that they teach no otherwise then according to the rule of the word 1 Tim. 1. 3. Secondly a power to depose and stop the mouthes of them who teach otherwise 2 Tim. 2. 16. Tit. 1. 11. Thirdly a power to lay hands vpon Pastors to ordaine and admit them to their Callings 1 Tim. 5. 23. Lastly a power to iudge Pastors and to receiue or repell accusatious giuen in against them 1 Tim. 5. 19. So that his power is not onely ouer his flocke but ouer other preaching Pastors also according to this rule 6 This power afore-said wee finde by diuine authoritie established in the person of one let any man contrary minded shew as cleere a warrant to proue that this power is taken from one and giuen vnto many 7 And as here we haue this power giuen to one for gouernement of Gods house in the precept so is this same power established in the person of one by the practise of the Son of God for in his seauen Epistles to the Churches of Asia he writes vnto one as bearing the burden of all both Pastors and people in those Cities And Beza confesseth that when S. Iohn directed his Epistle to the Angell of the Church vnder that name he directed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
not a Bishop for hee is a Bishop who is first among the Presbyters there they are distinguished and vnited Ioyne to these Cyprians complaint Aliqui de Presbyteris nec Euangely nec loci sui memores nec futurum Domini iudicium nec sibi praepositum Episcopum cogitantes quod 〈◊〉 sub antecessoribus nostris factum est cum contumelia contemptu praepositi totum sibi vendicant c. Si vltri in sâ—â—dem perseuerauerint vtar ea admonitione qua me Dominus vti iubet vt interim prohibeantur offerre In his sixt Epistle hee professeth he was determined to doe nothing without counsell of his Compresbyters but because some Presbyters had receiued some that had fallen to the peace of the Church inconsulto Episcopo without knowledge of the Bishop neyther fearing the future iudgement of God nor the present Bishop set ouer them which hee saith was neuer done by any Presbyter vnder any of his Ancestors not without contumelie and contempt of their Bishop he warneth them if they continue in it hee will vse that censure against them which the Lord commaunded him and suspend them from their Ministrie How vnwise you were to alledge the authoritie of Cyprian for you this one place among many may witnesse for he not onely affirmes that the power of a Bishop ouer Presbyters is more auncient then his time but that it is warranted also by diuine authoritie I could to this same purpose bring many others if at this time I might attaine to my owne minutes collected for helpe of my memorie But let these suffice for the present If they content you not then I send you to the fourth Booke of Douname wherein hee proueth Episcopall Function to be of Apostolicall institution because it was generally receiued in the first three hundred yeeres after the Apostles If you be purposed to dispute this question you will finde him there with very formall and forcible reasonings defending Episcopall gouernement if you will not as I thinke you will not meddle with him because hee is too strong for you then you shall doe best to let alone your whisperings in the eares of simple people and your triuiall arguments which seeme good enough to them that know no better but in very deede are like the Cuties of bone wherewith Children shoote in the streetes that may well make a little fize with powder but are not able to carrie any Bullet and it will be long before you hurt a Bishop with such You carp at my Argument fol. 9. that I bring to proue the externall Dâ—scipline to be arbitarie and changeable as may best serue for edification because the Apostles in a greater matter dispensed with Circumcision for edification some of them retayning it some not admitting it as they saw best for the state of their people You neede not tell mee that Circumcision was a Sacrament and no point of Church-gouernment I know that very vvell but must tell you againe that as quicke as you thinke your selfe you mistake the argument for it is from the more to the lesse If the Apostles vsed a diuersitie in a greater thing for the good of the Church and did not all keepe one rule concerning the Sacrament of Circumcision why shall it be thought euill now to see diuersitie in the Church about a lesse thing some Churches vsing externall gouernment one way others another way as the state of the time and people requires Besides that I beleeued your Doctorship had beene so acquainted at least with the recent Writers of this age that you would haue soone perceiued the Author of the words alledged by mee to be Musculus on 1 Tim. 1. and his probation of it is not from auncient Augustine as you take it but from the latter Augustana Confessio put on your Spectacles and reade it againe Thus while as like a blinde man you would strike at mee you strike a more worthy man then euer you were and a vvhole reformed Church also Yet for all this your vvords are oracles good enough I warrant you in your owne Conuenticles and with them the simplicitie of many Christians is abused whose eyes I pray the Lord open that as they know the truth of the Gospell so they may know the truth of this question also and leaue off to rend this Church by so vnlawfull a diuision That you affirme no Schisme was in our Church till Bishops came I must tell you this is but your calumnie and the contrarie is notoriously knowne to mee it is cleare as the light with a mourning heart many a time haue I looked vnto one I could make it cleare to the world but I will not for all your prouocation I say no more but if you be ignorant of this you are a great stranger in S. Andrewes Your Discourses fol. 10. 11. 12. 13. are answered alreadie In the 14 you condemne the calling of the Bishops of this Church they neyther haue it from the people nor the Church nor the generall Assemblie Surely you are a pert affirmer of any thing you please for you will not finde any Bishop of Scotland whom the generall Assemblie hath not first nominated and giuen vp in lytes to that effect or else by such as haue authoritie in the Church to doe it In your fol. 15. you vsurpe the iudgement of my conscience and therein vtters the pride of your spirit but impaires not mine honest inward testimonie in the contrarie I affected no Bishoprie no creature can conuince me of Ambitus directly nor indirectly but you must be like your selfe affirme falshoods confidently that your simple ones may beleeue you neuerthelesse know that God will bring you to iudgement and you shall be countable if for your idle words much more for your false lying words spoken and published for the corrupting of others My words against the lying Libeller you wickedly and most wrongfully wrest against my brethren God forgiue you I haue answered it alreadie And where in your last leafe you runne out vpon your comparisons that those who haue laboured more faithfully and fruitfully in the worke of GOD then I haue done could teach mee how to behaue my selfe in the house of God though now say you I seeme to my selfe a great Doctor in Israell All this is but needlesse talke I refuse not to be taught of any in the Church I haue learned some good from any that euer I heard and haue taken paines to keepe it but what I seeme to be in mine owne eies is hard for you to know When in the secret of my heart I deale vvith my God I know my roome that I am the chiefe of sinners and least of Saints and in truth I so esteeme my selfe but where you will come in and out of your pride runne ouer mee and treade my gift vnder your feete I will not suffer you It is not mine owne and I got it not from you I will speake in defence of it and not let you disgrace